Gay Olympian Gus Kenworthy to star in American Horror Story season 9
Gus Kenworthy is due to play Emma Roberts’ boyfriend. (Cindy Ord/Getty for Samsung )
Gay Olympian Gus Kenworthy is joining the cast of the award-winning series American Horror Story season 9.
The announcement came from series creator Ryan Murphy himself, who posted a picture of a smiling, bare-chested Kenworthy on Instagram on Wednesday (February 6).
The caption read: “That special moment when you realize you have an Olympic medal AND will be playing Emma Roberts’ boyfriend on ‘American Horror Story’ Season 9.”
“I’m So F**king Shook “
— Gus Kenworthy
The openly gay freestyle skier, who made history last year when he kissed his boyfriend at the end of his final race of the 2018 Winter Olympics on live television, could barely contain his joy at the announcement.
“I guess the cat’s out of the bag… I’m So F**king Shook ILYSM @mrrpmurphy ” he wrote on Instagram, sharing Murphy’s post.
Kenworthy also shared the news in his Instagram stories, writing: “Help! i can’t breath” and thanking Murphy for believing in him.
Fans welcomed the casting of Gus Kenworthy in American Horror Story season 9
Fans reacted enthusiastically to both Murphy and Kenworthy. “The QUEERS HAVE SPOKEN” one person commented underneath Murphy’s post.
Several others described the announcement as “the best news [they’ve] heard today.” While another Instagram user felt a tinge of disappointment. “But you’re supposed to be playing my boyfriend!!!” the person reacted to Kenworthy’s post.
Kenworthy’s acting resume only counts a few appearances so far. The Olympian has starred as himself in a 2016 episode of ABC series the Real O’Neals and, in 2017, he appeared as a skier in Sharknado 5: Global Swimming and as a “pogo ball student” in the series New York Is Dead, according to IMDB.
Kenworthy is also set to appear in RuPaul’s Drag Race season 11 as a guest judge, telling Gay Times in April: “I’m so excited about that. It’s a dream come true.”
Ryan Murphy posted a great picture of Gus Kenworthy to announce his casting in American Horror Story season 9.
With his post, Murphy also confirmed the return of Scream Queens Roberts to the horror anthology, of which she’s been part of since 2013.
Incidentally, Murphy has also been teasing a reboot of the dark comedy series this week, posting a picture of Roberts’ character Chanel Oberlin and lamenting its untimely end.
Murphy is currently working on the new Netflix series Ratched. The series is dubbed as a prequel to One Flew Over the Cockoo’s Nest, exploring the life of Nurse Ratched and her journey from a typical nurse to the cold, tyrannical figure in the Ken Kesey novel and its 1975 cinematic adaptation.
The cast for the series includes openly LGBT+ actors such as longtime collaborator Sarah Paulson, who plays the title character and is also a producer, and Cynthia Nixon.
